Mr Monk Saves the Date (aka Surprise)
by Disherona
Summary: A Randy and Sharona (Disherona) fic. A baby on the way, a wedding to plan and everyone is concerned that there is a murderer around every corner. Features Randy Disher/Shaorna Fleming. Featuring Adrian Monk, Natalie Teeger Captain Stottlemeyer and many, many guest stars. Please Read/Review I will continue the story as long as there is an interest.
1. Surprise - Dinner

A/N This story was requested by R.C. Babcoc. I hope it is a pleasure to read. I can go on with this, if people are interested. I could make it into a Monkish wedding story.

Surprise!

by Disherona

Standing behind the flowery summer dress, she examined her image in the full length mirror, and a peculiar look crossed her face. A look that conveyed how she felt about herself. Her body wasn't right. The dress wasn't right. She hated the length and color of her hair. She felt her face looked puffy and her eyes looked tired.

But tonight was special. Sharona had gotten a promotion and a raise from the hospital she worked at. She was applying to go back to college to become a nurse practitioner, thinking she could get her degree in a couple of years, but she had but, tonight, she wanted to celebrate by treating her boyfriend to a nice meal at a nice restaurant.

"Ugh! No." she muttered to herself in the mirror, thinking that this might be a good excuse to change up her entire wardrobe. She tossed the dress atop a queen sized bed, which was covered with her most of the contents of her closet.

She could hear Randy Disher in the shower. He was a Lieutenant Detective in the SFPD, and the love of her life. They shared a small house on Potrero Hill, a nice residential neighborhood where they had great views of the city and the bay. They had gotten lucky. Very lucky.

The two story house was cozy and had a spare bedroom for guests, and a small back yard with a garden for Sharona to tend, and a deck for Randy to relax and enjoy the view on. It had everything they wanted and at a good price.

Sharona chose another dress from her closet. The dress was hot pink, with a flouncy bodice, an elastic waistband and a tight short skirt. She wondered what she had been thinking when she bought it on a whim during a short vacation in the Bahamas. She had only ever worn it once. She tossed the dress with the others. She was becoming more desperate as she got closer to the back of the closet.

"Sharona?" Randy came out of the bathroom, wearing a pressed suit, white shirt and holding up two ties.

"Yes, Randy?" She sighed, sounding as annoyed as she felt.

"Which tie?"

"The burgundy one. You can burn the other one." She joked.

"I think it would melt if I burned it." Randy confessed.

"What happened to all my clothes? I can't find anything to wear." She ran a hand through her curls and confessed. "I feel exhausted, and I look awful."

"I think you look wonderful." He said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. First deeply, then little kisses. "What about the red dress, with the strappy things. I've always liked that."

"Strappy things?" Sharona echoed, smirking. "I like that one, too, but it's getting," she caught herself in mid sentence. "I think the hem was torn."

"Nice save." Randy muttered, looking into the big vanity which took up most of their tiny bedroom, and arranging his necktie while surreptitiously glancing at Sharona.

"What do you mean by that?" She was rarely offended by what Randy said, but she was tonight.

"Nothing." He began to tighten the tie around his neck, then flipped the collar of his white shirt down. "Look, we don't need to go out to celebrate your promotion." Randy began, wrapping his arms around Sharona's waist. "We can celebrate at home, and we wouldn't have to get dressed."

Sharona's face turned a bright pink, "Gawd, Randy, don't you ever stop?" She asked, enjoying the kisses he trailed along her neckline.

"I meant dressed up." Randy murmured between kisses.

"Randy, I want us to go out" Sharona whispered, not stopping Randy's loving attention. "We have a lot to celebrate."

-R/S-

Sharona managed to scavenge her wardrobe and made an attractive outfit to wear to Bentley's Overlooking the Bay. She had found a black jersey dress, low cut, with long sleeves, and paired it with with a wide belt, worn just below the bust and black heels which killed her feet, but made her long legs look even longer. Her hair was pulled into a loose french braid, and her makeup was eye catchingly bright. She layered a few chains. and they sparkled hypnotically in the subdued lighting.

They ordered their drinks; Sharona opting for a mineral water, and Randy, though he longed for a beer, ordered a glass of wine.

"Have you decided what you want?" Sharona asked.

He gave her a look that told her that what he wanted wasn't something on the menu. When they had both had time to study the menu, Sharona ordered artichoke ravioli, and Randy opted for the hazelnut crusted pork. As they waited for their entrees to arrive, Randy held up his glass, and said, "To you. You are the most amazing woman I have ever known. I love you."

"Oh, Randy. You're so sweet, and I hope you know that I love you, too, and that I am very proud of you."

"I can't imagine why." Randy said, softly.

"Hey, I know you'd rather not be back in this city, doing your old job; but you made sacrifices for me, and for Leland and for Adrian. You always seem to do that, and I love you for that.

"I brought a something for you. A surprise." Sharona pulled a white rectangle of paper from her purse, and pushed it across the table in front of Randy. He turned the card over and saw a grey image, which he let sink in.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"It's our baby." Sharona said, softly.

Randy could only gaze lovingly at the photo.

"Did you know?" Sharona asked.

"Well, I'm not Monk, but I am a detective." He reached out and covered her hand with his. "And, I think I know you pretty well by now. You've been a little more tired than usual. A little bit moody and the morning sickness was pretty hard to miss. Do you know when?"

"Our vacation in the Bahamas, before we returned to San Francisco."

"A couple of margaritas and some tropical weather and you become a wild woman!" Randy laughed, a little too loudly, then looked around the hushed restaurant, seeing that people were staring at him. He didn't even care. WHy should he. He was in love. He was a daddy. He couldn't care less what other people thought at the moment.

"I think tropical drinks and tropical weather got to you, too, wild man." Sharona smiled, remembering the much needed holiday with fondness.

"So, about 10 weeks...I'm already thinking of names!" He said, beaming. Then he looked in her eyes, and saw something, something unsure that he had never seen before in her. "Are you happy? About the baby?"

"Of course." She smiled caressed Randy's cheek, "Of course. I am. I'm thrilled! It was just, kind of… a surprise."

"A nice surprise." Randy smiled. "You know, I have a something for you, too." Randy fished in his jacket pocket for something, and moved out of his chair, and knelt next to Sharona. He opened the little blue box, and showed Sharona the contents: a gold ring with a perfect, though tiny diamond. "I love you, Sharona," As he spoke, he eyes were welling with tears, and his voice was starting to break, so he stopped himself, took a breath. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

The Beginning

To Be Continued?  
Please review. If not, this will be a one-shot.


	2. Family Reunion

Chapter 2

Family Reunion

by Disherona

Sharona said yes, and Randy was over the moon.

He had proposed to Sharona before. He had proposed many times, but she had always said "no" before. The first proposal came when they had been on one of their long distance phone calls, when she lived in New Jersey, and he was in San Francisco. They had visited each other a few times, and had talked every night on the phone and got to know one another intimately. And one night, When Randy was missing her company and thinking of how long it would be before he would be able to be with her again, Randy asked if they should get married. It wasn't eloquent or particularly romantic. It was just a question from a man who wanted to be nearer to the woman he loved.

She said no, and to be honest, he wasn't really surprised. He believed she loved him and wanted to spend more time with him, but she was practical, and was still kicking herself for remarrying her ex-husband, thinking that either of them be happy that way. The arrangement also was one of convenience, and Randy understood that. Seeing a practical way to be with the man she was in love with, she suggest that they share a home and a life together. If they could find a place where they could both be happy, and find good jobs and an acceptable house, they might be able to build a nice life with each other.

He asked again over dinner during their on first anniversary of living together. They were on the back porch of their Summit house, finishing a romantic dinner and he caught a glimpse of her in the light of the candle. He didn't have a ring or even a plan to ask her that night, but he was caught off guard by how beautiful she looked and his love for her, and asked on an impulse. She smiled sweetly and turned him down again, explaining that she couldn't love him more, and how much she loved the way their life was. He asked her periodically after that, not ever expecting a yes, and let her know every time that she could say yes any time, even if he didn't ask, and she would smile, and kiss him in a way that put a question in his mind, about why she would always turn him down. He knew Trevor could be an ass, but there had to be more. There had to be another piece of the puzzle that was missing.

And Randy always wanted to be married and have a family - a big family, to make up for what he had missed out on, growing up. He would comfort himself with the idea that Sharona was happy with the way things were. Believing that they were still happy, they were still in love, and that a piece of paper and a ceremony wouldn't change what they meant to each other and it wouldn't change what everyone who knew them already knew about them: that they were already devoted to one another.

For a next week they kept their secrets to themselves, and took pleasure in the idea that they knew what none of their friends and family did. A little treasure that they could smile about, and exchange secret looks over. It was starting to become difficult, because Randy didn't have the strongest poker face, and Natalie was perceptive and was beginning to ask questions. The couple decided that they would tell their friends the good news after they told Sharona's family, her mother, sister and son. The only problem was that her mom lived in Florida, her sister and son lived in New York and Randy and Sharona lived in California. After discussing the options of phone calls and Skyping the family, they chose to fly Sharona's mother to New York and meet the rest of the family there to avoid the argument of who was going to be told first, her son, her sister or her mother. They would tell everyone at once, no matter how much it would cost in time and expenses. so they made arrangements to meet together.

Telling Randy's family wouldn't be much of a problem. His mother had passed away a few years earlier, and he had no father to speak of, so they decided that the announcements to his family could be sent out in the mail, on stiff card stock. They could start with a wedding announcement - official and practical, and a keepsake for his various aunts and "uncles" and cousins. The Disher family, as a whole, seemed to like that sort of thing. The baby announcement would be sent out sometime after the wedding.

The impromptu family reunion was held at the apartment that Gail and Michael shared. When they arrived at Gail's apartment, Randy was greeted warmly by first Sharona's mother, Cheryl Fleming, and then by her sister Gail, and then was he was passed on down the line of family like a party undertow, to the men in the room who were making small talk with a glass of wine and an hors d'oeuvre in the other.

Randy Disher and Michael Dern's relationship teetered uncomfortably between strong acquaintances and practically family. Michael Dern was an accomplished chef with a restaurant which was well known in the Village. He was an attractive man, in his mid-fifties and was passionate about cooking and a perfectionist when it came to his business. Otherwise even keeled. He was tall; over 6', and lanky, and had a shock of white hair and always wore wire rimmed glasses perched on his nose, but he usually looked over them and not through the lenses. which left Randy with the impression that they might not be prescription lenses but a fashionable accessory.

Dern and Randy were chatting with Sharona's son, Benjamin Fleming-Howe. Though he preferred to be called Bem, his mother still called him Benjy. He put up with that, even though he thought it sounded juvenile . He was in his early 20's. almost as tall as Randy. He wore his hair spiked, and played with dying it a much darker brown with a shock of blue in the bangs. That was his ex-girlfriend's idea, but he was still living with it. He had spent some time traveling overseas, and some time at NYU, but eventually dropped both as life experiences. He had taken an internship at a prominent design studio in Manhattan, and was practicing fine art, which was his passion.

When the Fleming women gathered in a flurry of hugs and kisses, and all talked at once in an excited, high pitched, Jersey cackle that Randy had a hard time deciphering, as Sharona's accent was accentuated the closer she was to the East Coast As far as he could tell, though, the conversation consisted of familial complements and questions; Did you change hair, makeup, was it a new outfit and so on, and why no one called each other. Randy found this strange, since he knew for a fact that Sharona talked to Gail and her mother several times a month.

At some point in the conversation, Gail asked Sharona if she had put on weight, and then apologized when she noticed Sharona's deep blush.

"Sharona,sweetie, tell us what this together is about?" Cheryl asked loudly over the other the murmured conversations, as she held a large glass of good Pinot wine, which sloshed in the glass as she punctuated her words with expressive hands. "Tell us, Randy, Sharona, we're all dying to know!"

Sharona smiled sweetly, and walked over to Randy, and took his hand in hers. "Randy and I have some wonderful news, and we wanted you to be the first to know Earlier this week, Randy asked me to marry him, and I said yes."

There was a round of enthusiastic congratulation, hugging, kissing, slaps on the back that traveled throughout the room like from family members, to friends to future in-laws."Congratulations, you two!" Michael smiled, as he gave Sharona a warm hug and shook Randy's hand, before opening another bottle of wine and pouring several glasses, and handed them around the room.

"I shouldn't", Sharona said.

"Why not?" Gail asked. "It's a celebration!"

"Well, she has a good reason", Randy added, grinning broadly. "Sharona will be having a child in 7 months." There was silence in the room, and Randy cleared his throat. "Approximately seven...months." He continued, uncomfortably.

Gail was the first to react, beaming and exclaiming. "O My Gawd! Congratulations, Sis, Randy," she said kissing both of them on the cheek, before giving Sharona the biggest hug she had ever gotten. With that, everyone else in the party joined in on the congratulations."

Sharona hugged her younger sister, "Thank you, Gail."

"I knew you put on weight, though." Gail giggled, covering her smile with her hand.

R/S

Cheryl Fleming handed Sharona a virgin cocktail that Michael came up with, baby pink and in a frosted martini glass with a mint garnish, before sitting next to her daughter.

"Thanks." Sharona took a little sip and smiled, watching from afar as Randy was being taught a new recipe and how to flip food in a pan, and finding that he was having a difficult time keeping the food from getting away from him. Michael added some herbs to the pan and Randy stirred and flipped, seeming to get better with each toss.

Cheryl read the look on her daughter's face, and held her hand. "You really love him," she commented.

"He's amazing," Sharona answered. "I don't think most people know how really special he is."

And as if to punctuate that remark, half of the food in the pan hit the floor. "Sorry!" he exclaimed, "Sorry. That was my fault."

"He's kind, sweet, honest...I actually trust him completely." Sharona continued.

"I'm just worried." Cheryl said, conspiratorially. "Is this the best time for you two to have a baby?"

"Well, Ma, the ball is already rolling on that." Sharona snickered, feeling a little giddy.

"I know. But your job is doing really well, and you're going to school to become a nurse practitioner."

Sharona turned to look at her mother, astonished. "Randy and I have talked about all of this, Ma. I can go back to school after the baby is born. The hospital will hire me back any time. Those are not issue."

"Okay, honey." She cupped her daughter's cheeks like she was a child and cooed, "I just don't want you to use the baby as an excuse for anything that you want to do with your life."

"Mom, the baby isn't an excuse for anything " She hissed, her eyes glistening with tears."Randy and I are both excited about having this child, Ma, and if you have any doubts about it...well, I love you but please, keep them to yourself!" With that, Sharona huffed off to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

R/S

"Hey, Ben." Randy came through the sliding doors to the balcony which overlooked a quaint neighborhood in Manhattan.

"Is Mom okay?" Benjy had just finished talking to his grandma, trying to figure out what had happened.

"I think so. We talked. I think it's pregnancy hormones or something."

"Grandma thinks she said something wrong."

"It could be both." Randy chuckled, "How are you feeling? About the baby?"

"I guess I'm in shock." Ben admitted.

"The good kind of shock?"'

"I think so. That's the whole thing about shock, you never know until it's over." He reasoned. A kid brother or sister was on the way? How would that be? What would it be named? Would they be close, or, because he lived on the other side of the country, would he be just another stranger who came to visit and spoil him once in a blue moon. His thoughts were racing.

"Are you still okay with me marrying your mom?" Randy asked, intruding on his thoughts.

"Well, I was okay with it five years ago. I kind of thought that this was why you and mom came back. You make her really happy, and I'm happy for both of you." He smiled, and then his eyes grew wide wide and he continued, "So, do you think I should I move back to California? I want to be a part of his life, you know. I always wanted a little brother!"

Randy hadn't seen Ben so excited about anything, except when he started taking art classes the city, and smiled to think that Ben sometimes reminded Randy of himself, even though they weren't related in any way. "I don't think you have to worry about picking up your life and moving just now. There's time to think about it."

"Good point." Benjy started to say something and then hesitated for a moment before saying. "You know, Randy, I guess I thought if I were going to be an older brother, it would have been when I was younger, and it would have been with my dad."

"Yeah. I'm sorry that didn't work out."

"I'm not. My dad and I get along great now, and if it did work out, my little brother would have had to live the same kind of life I did. Dad not being around, or the arguments, and his drinking problem. I wouldn't want anyone to grow up with that life or have those memories." He paused, and took a drink from his glass and said, "You know, I've thought about this a lot, and if my mom can't be with my dad, I'm glad she can be happy with you."

Randy's face lit up, "Really?"

"When I was a kid, I thought you were kind of cool."

"You did?" Randy asked, surprised by the revelation.

"Yeah. I figured if anyone was going to let me fire a real gun, it might be you."

"I guess I probably would have," he replied, "but we both would have gotten into trouble."

R/S

Late in the night, Randy and Sharona held each other as they nestled down into the luxurious bed at a Manhattan hotel they had stayed at together. Back then, they were in separate rooms, but tonight they shared the same bed.

"Ben thinks it's going to be a boy." Randy whispered, contentedly.

"I hope it's a girl," Sharona smiled.

"I guess I hope it's twins, then." Randy added.

"Randy, are you happy?" Sharona asked him, as she stroked the back of his neck with her fingernails.

"Every moment with you has been the happiest in my life, and every day just keeps getting better and better. Even when things aren't going well, knowing that you are in my life makes life a better. My love, you are the most intelligent, strongest and most beautiful woman I have ever known, or could ever imagine. I couldn't imagine my life without you, and now that you're having my child, I can see those lovely qualities even more clearly. So, yes. I am happy."

He kissed her forehead, and she closed her clear grey eyes, and wrapped her arms around him as a sweet smile crossed her lips. 'I'm happy, too," she sighed as she drifted off to sleep, basking in his loving words.

To be continued

A/N Thanks for reading. Please review.

Also, if you have any baby names (boy or girl names). Anything other than Adrian, Natalie or Trudy. I do have the sex of the child in mind, but I can't think of a name, and I don't want to spoil it.


	3. Visiting Friends

Chapter 3

Visiting Friends

By Disherona

Randy and Sharona climbed the steps of the new Monk and Teeger, Consulting Detective's office, which they had leased after a year of success in their strip mall storefront. Randy and Sharona were impressed with how well the converted home matched the personalities of both Adrian Monk and Natalie Teeger,

The symmetry of the house put Adrian Monk at ease. Not that he _needed_ it, but it comforted him. It was the main reason that he agreed so readily to moving from the cramped, utilitarian strip mall.

The Monk & Teeger office was symmetrical to the point of having two front entrances, and was mirrored in every way beyond that, with a picture windows on the left and right. The brown shingled roof was the color of the suit jacket that Adrian Monk had worn for years, though he now had more variety in his dress. The periwinkle blue siding, in parallel bars on the outer walls of the house and gable reflected the bright personality of Natalie Teeger, Monk's partner and officially the boss of the operation. White doors, window frames, and bargeboards trimmed the small house, adding to it's charm.

As the couple, Lt. Randy Disher, a detective in the San Francisco Police Department, and Sharona Fleming, the registered nurse, transplanted from New Jersey, climbed the 10 steps leading up to the white gated porch, entering the door on the left to see their old friends to share their good news.

Sharona wore a striped bright pink, silk organza skirt that fell to just below the knee, and a pretty white button down blouse with baby blue dots. She finished the look with nude high heels which made her look taller and her legs look longer and Randy wore his usual dark suit and tie, ready to report to work after this visit.

Upon entering the office, which was both organized, and yet warm and inviting, they found Ken, a painfully thin young man, of Asian descent, behind a large oak desk, typing away on a computer keyboard. He was technically a receptionist, but he also worked on basic research on cases, arranging appointments with prospective clients, collecting payments from clients, so that Adrian and Natalie didn't have to deal with that, as well as making deposits in the bank. He was personable and trustworthy and an asset to the office.

He also, occasionally ran Monk around if Natalie were not available due to her work on a different case in which she might have more insight and skill than Adrian, who had his own skill sets.

It had been almost a week since Randy and Sharona had flown back from New Jersey, and Monk and Natalie had been out of town, working on a missing person's case.

Ken, upon seeing the couple, smiled and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Yes. We're here to see Adrian and Natalie."

"Are they expecting you?"

"No, but you can tell them it's Randy and Sharona."

Before Ken could use the intercom, Natalie Teeger rushed out of the office door, arms open to give a welcoming hug and kiss to her friends, followed by Adrian, his hands clasped together and the start of a smile crossed his lips.

Natalie wore her hair down. It had recently been restyled, and was layered with bangs. She wore a silk jade colored top and dark straight legged pants.

"How have you been?" Natalie exclaimed, flashing her bright smile. "It's been such a long time."

"I know. I've been busy studying for my Nurse Practitioner's licence, and it looks like you and Adrian have been hard at work."

"I've been busy, too." Randy interjected, wanting to be a part of the conversation.

"We know you've been busy, love." Sharona humored him with a smile and gave him a little kiss on the cheek, before addressing Monk and Natalie. "I love the new office! It suits you." She remarked, appreciating the office. "It suits both of you."

"Thank you. It was a big move, but I think we're doing the right thing. So what brings you by?"

"Randy and I have are getting married!"

"Wow. That's great." Monk said, both happy and reserved. "Congratulations."

"It's about time. Do you know when?"

"Not really. It's still in the early stages, but we wanted to let you two know as soon as possible."

Adrian Monk and Natalie Teeger looked at each other, confused.

Sharona answered, "Natalie, I'd like you to be a bridesmaid."

"Oh, I'd love to!" Natalie gave Sharona a big hug.

"And I can arrange your bachelor party," Monk offered, excitedly.

Randy looked at him, speechless, as her remembered the bachelor party for Captain Stottlemeyer.

"I have experience." Monk added, not comfortable with Randy's silence.

"I know Monk, but I've already asked someone." Randy offered, with a smile and a pat on Monk's back. "Besides, I think Sharona had something else in mind for you."

"I consider you to be my family. My father won't be there to walk me down the aisle, so I would love it if you could step in for him."

Monk was overwhelmed. He had never considered the possibility that he would have that kind of honor in his life. "Of course I will," He finally answered after a long pause, a queer smile crossing his lips, as he gingerly hugged his former nurse.

Ken walked into the office, and paused in the doorway, taking in the scene and feeling as though he walked in on a personal moment. "Sorry to interrupt. Mr. Monk, Captain Stottlemeyer called and wants to know if you're available to consult on a case he is working on."

"Wow. Remember when the mayor had to force the Captain to work with us?" Sharona remarked. "I am really impressed with how far you've come."

Monk beamed with pride, and Natalie blushed, but both knew their success was due to the hard work they put in.

"I'll give you a ride up." Randy said, looking at his watch. "It's almost time for me to report for duty, anyway."

"That's perfect. I can interview Barbara Webster on that insurance claim. Hey, are you busy?" Natalie asked Sharona.

"It's my day off. Why?"

"Come with me? We can start planning your wedding over lunch afterwards."

"Sure. It sounds like fun."

"Is that a good idea?" Randy asked.

Sharona gave Randy an incredulous look. "Randy, I've helped with murder cases. This is nothing."

Natalie grinned. "Besides, Adrian's going with you. If there's a body to be found, it will be where Adrian is."

"Fine. I'll see you tonight." Randy was about to walk away, when Sharona caught him by the arm. "You forgot something."

When they kissed, there was no one else in the world. Just the two of them, completely and totally in love. In a perfect world, they would remain this way, and not have a care in the world. But this wasn't a perfect world. There was a dead man waiting for Lt. Disher and Adrian Monk, and there was a probable liar and cheat waiting for Natalie Teeger.

"Be safe." Sharona said when they broke their kiss.

"You, too." Randy smiled and looked to Natalie. "If there's any danger..."

"She'll be fine, Randy." Natalie sighed.

As Randy and Adrian turned to leave, Monk said, as an aside, "Maybe I can consult on the bachelor party."

"No, Monk. You already have a job." Randy stated emphatically, looking back helplessly at the two women as they sniggered.

A/N More to come.

Please review.


	4. A Business Call

By Disherona

The drive to Barbara Webster's apartment was a pleasant one.

"Do you have anything planned yet?" Natalie asked.

"Not yet. We do want to do it soon as we can. We don't have any reason to wait. Randy has waited long enough, but I want it to be nice, you know? I want it to be memorable, and beautiful. I've never planned a wedding before. I'll need your help."

"You were married twice." Natalie pointed out. "How is that possible?"

"Trevor and I never had a real wedding. We eloped as soon as I turned 18. I didn't even see Ma until about a year later, after Benjy was born. She she adored Benjy and I guess she got used to Trevor. She never said it, but I think Ma thought I could do better.

"When I left San Francisco, when we remarried, it was a done at the Justice of the Peace, almost as soon as we got off the plane. There was just a few family members there, to support the marriage. Maybe we did it that way so I wouldn't second guess myself and run back to Adrian, to San Francisco, and to going back to being comfortable being stuck in that place -You know the place? Where you just put up with being mostly dissatisfied, only for the little glimmers of light and hope. Is that a normal thing?"

"I think so," Natalie said, with a wan smile, glancing over to her friend before making a left hand turn and driving on, choosing a more scenic route so that she could talk to her friend a little longer.

Natalie did understand, remembering her years of working unsatisfying, dead end jobs, which she took to put food on the table and pay her mortgage on a house she and Mitch had bought together, all those years ago. She was never satisfied in those jobs. She took the jobs to get by, but that was before she became the assistant of Adrian Monk, whom she had a great respect for and a deep understanding of. She was a widow herself, and whose spouse's death was also tainted by mysterious circumstances. After working with Adrian Monk for years, she became his partner, and with a little official training, she became his boss.

This made them more than equals.

"Trevor and me rushed into marriage, both times," the New Jersey native continued, "and Randy has been waiting for me to say "yes" for so long. Too long. I hate this. I rushed into a marriage with a man I could barely tolerate, twice, and a man who I love and trust and couldn't live without, this is the man I made wait all of these years. It's like I make the wrong decisions every time."

"That's life, Sharona. Sometimes we make mistakes." Natalie reached over and touched Sharona's shoulder, as she did, naturally. "You're making the right decision now. Randy is crazy about you."

"I know. I've always known that." Sharona sighed, "I just want us to be happy. I want him to be happy. And I want this wedding to not turn into a murder mystery. You have to promise me that there will be no corpses in or around the wedding or anything connected to the wedding. "

"You know that will be impossible. 'Mr. Monk' will be there."

As Sharona laughed with Natalie, she quietly dreaded the idea that someone would end up dead among their friends and family and other guests, or that one of their guests will have recently started their career as a murderer, which had been known to happen in any situation where Adrian Monk was present. Vacations, flights and even while delivering newspapers.

"This is it," Natalie said, as she pulled up to an apartment building in the low rent district and headed for a bottom floor apartment. Natalie rang the doorbell, as she pulled a small leather Traveler's notebook out of her purse. Sharona noticed a gun in the bag as well, and realized how dangerous Natalie's business was.

A yapping dog could be heard from behind the door, and a woman's reedy voice barked "Quiet!" The door, protected by black iron bars, was opened a crack, and a portion of a woman's face could be seen behind it. "Yeah?"

"We're here to see to Barbara Webster."

"Yeah." She answered, before turning to look behind her, Natalie noticed that the door still on the chain.

"I'm Natalie Teeger and this is Sharona Fleming. We'd like to speak with you about..."

"I really don't have time," she said, quickly closing the door.

From what they could see, she looked to be a woman in her early to mid thirties, with pale skin. A fringe of dark hair could be seen at her forehead. Natalie rang the doorbell again.

"I promise you, this won't take long. We just want to ask you a few questions." Natalie said in a raised voice, so that she could be heard from the other side of the door.

The door opened quickly, and she hissed, "Look, I don't have time for this right now."

"We made an appointment with you." Natalie advised her.

"You must have the wrong person." Ms. Webster said, curtly.

"Ms. Webster, my assistant would not have sent us out unless he made an appointment to meet with you."

"Well I don't have time to talk to you right now." Then she whispered. "Maybe later."

"Ms. Webster, it is very important that we talk to you. Would tomorrow be a better day? Around noon?"

"I don't know". She said cautiously, turning to check on something in the room behind her.

Natalie took a card from her leather notebook and slipped them between the bars to the woman. "Please. The office is not too far away, so call any time you have the time."

She looked down at the card, and read it. Monk & Teeger, Consulting Detectives, was printed in plain, bold, black letters with the address and phone number.

Ms. Webster slipped the card in her cardigan pocket. "I'll call when I am able to talk to you." She said quietly, closing the door behind her.

Natalie didn't even get the words "Thank you," out before the door was shut. They looked at one another, with concerned looks, and made their way back to the car as Sharona's phone rang. She smiled when she the familiar ringtone. "Excuse me," she said to Natalie before answering, "Hello, my love. Miss me already?..."

To be continued.


	5. Emergency Room

Chapter 5: Emergency

By Disherona

Adrian Monk found, as sat in the waiting room of the UCSF Medical Center, that he was was in awe of himself. He rarely felt this way, outside of a crime scene where he effortlessly put clues together and then fearlessly named names. It was his comfort zone.

Nearly everything else was outside of his comfort zone. Obvious things, such as death, needles and milk, but there were other, mundane things that made him nervous, as well. Many social situations, for example. Emergencies, driving, new people. They all made his heart race and his skin crawl, and he avoided them, as most people did.

And now he felt as if he had made progress, on his own. Before, when he had made progress, it was with the help of his nurse, Sharona or with the guidance of his psychiatrist and later, with the support of his assistant. In this case he did this on his own, and he couldn't help but smile and flaunt his lack of discomfort.

His head jerked up when He heard his name called. "Adrian!" Voices in stereo by the two living women who knew him best, Natalie Teeger, his business partner and closest friend, and Sharona Fleming, his former nurse, former assistant and the woman who pulled him out of a terrible prison of fear and dread.

"I think I see him," Natalie pointed towards her partner, as she took Sharona by the elbow with the intention of guiding her toward Adrian.

"Why don't you check on him and I'll see if I can get any information on Randy," she said as she turned on her heel, and strode off towards a nurses station, with concern clearly on her face.

Natalie calmed herself as she walked purposefully towards her friend. She sat beside Monk and placed her small, delicate hand on his shoulder, which usually comforted him and discomforted him at the same time.

"Adrian" She asked softly, her voice by concern.

His demeanor wasn't what she was expecting. His dark eyes beamed, and a smile softened his features. "Natalie!" he whispered, as loudly as he dared. "Natalie," He didn't seem to know else to say, so he just smiled.

"Are you okay?"

I'm great. He said, still with that smile.

"Sharona's checking on Randy."

"I know."

"Did they give you something?" Natalie asked. "Like a sedative?

"Just water." Monk said, casually. "Did you want some? Or some tea?" he asked.

"No, I'm okay," She answered, bewildered by his mannerisms. She lightly wrapped her arms around his. She hadn't done this in years. It was a stealthy way to sooth him in a way that he didn't know he was being soothed.. She leaned against him so they were almost shoulder to shoulder.

"Thank you," Sharona Fleming said, with a halfway hopeful smile, as she left the slight Taiwanese-American nurse to go on her rounds. Having connections in the hospital had it's perks. As "Jane Nobody", Sharona probably wouldn't have gotten much information out of the normally tight lipped staff, and nothing more useful than being told to wait and that they would give her more information when they could. As a registered nurse who had been employed in the hospital and one who was friendly with many of the staff, she was able to get her questions answered, in a straightforward way, and she was very hopeful.

She strode confidently up to Natalie and Adrian, who were sitting side by side. Natalie effortlessly comforted him. Sharona knew how close they were and how easily they eased each other's spirits over the years. To people who didn't know them, they looked like they could be a married couple.

She remembered a time when she was his only comfort and he was the only constant in her life, not that she wanted to go back to that position or even the old relationship, which was far more complicated than most people could imagine. She was happy where her life was now, with a man she loved, and trusted, and a son who was grown and making his way in the world, and even an ex-husband who had mellowed and was more willing to co-operate with her on issues concerning their son.

"Did they tell you anything?" Natalie asked.

"They're running some tests now, They don't think it was a heart attack or a stroke, but they want to make sure "

"Oh, thank God!" Natalie said, a smile brightening her pixieish face.

"I should be thanking you, Adrian. I was told that you were decisive and took control of the situation. And when you called, I almost didn't believe it was you. I'm vert proud of you, Adrian Monk," she said, leaning over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "If you hadn't been there, well things could have been a lot worse."

Adrian Monk couldn't believe his ears. He was being credited for his decisiveness and control over a panicked situation. He wondered if he were dreaming, but deep down, he know he wasn't. If he were, the EMT wouldn't have had a stain on his shoes.

Monk was distracted from his reverie by Natalie's ringtone, and she answered. It was the Captain calling, wondering where Monk and Randy were.

To be continued.

A/N I don't know if I'm going to follow up on my writing. I don't seem to be getting much in the way of feedback, so if there is a lack of interest I may just leave it here and write one-offs.

If the chapter isn't updated again, and you've been reading along, thank you.

Best, Disherona


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